WHO Chief: COVID-19 vaccine will be allocated based on ACT-Accelerator principles

Taking to Twitter, WHO Chief Tedros ham Ghebreyesus anunced that after a COVID-19 vaccine is developed it will be distributed on bases of principles agreed upon by 'ACT-Accelerator and its partners'. He also said that aim is to ensure that initial supply is used 'wisely' and 'essential and vulnerable population' is protected. ACT-Accelerator is a global initiative to speed up development and production of any and all COVID-19 tools & treatments and ensure equitable access. 

WHO Chief on COVAX

COVAX Facility was originally launched in April 2020, Dr Ghebreyesus informed that over 170 countries and ecomies which represent 90% of world's population have come toger for WHO initiative. Co-led by Gavi, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Invations (CEPI) and WHO, COVAX initiative aims to fast-tracking development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in world. It also focuses on development of a safe and effective vaccine as well as 'smart prioritization' of it. 

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While COVAX aims to speed up COVID-19 vaccine development, it has also cautioned that a race to develop an effective vaccine for coronavirus can le to public fears about safety. Earlier, WHO Chief Dr Ghebreyesus h said that world cant risk having an effective Coronavirus vaccine that people refuse because y think it is unsafe. Speaking about rush to develop COVID-19 vaccine, he said, "We alrey face challenges with vaccine acceptance for many proven vaccines. first vaccine to be approved may t be best. more shots on goal we have, higher chances of having a very safe, very efficacious vaccine."

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Countries against COVAX Facility

Despite WHO global initiative, some countries including United States and Japan have signed ir own bilateral deals with pharmaceutical companies to secure millions of doses of vaccines. se countries have also refused to become a part of COVAX. In July this year, se countries anunced ir withdrawal from WHO after accusing it of mismanaging pandemic and siding with Chinese Communist Party.

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(With inputs from ncies)